You are hereGeneral Assembly/3C: Statement by Ambassador Wittig at the adoption of the resolution on the Human Right to Water and Sanitation

General Assembly/3C: Statement by Ambassador Wittig at the adoption of the resolution on the Human Right to Water and Sanitation

Nov 21, 2013

(as delivered:)

"Mr President,

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the two main sponsors of the draft resolution L34 entitled “the Human Right to safe drinking water and sanitation” Spain and my own country, Germany.

Let me first of all thank the 82 cosponsors for their support, and express my appreciation to all delegations for the constructive approach to the consultations, which were conducted over the past seven weeks. We know that it was not always easy for all delegations, including our own, and we thank everyone for their flexibility and their spirit of compromise.

The following cosponsors joined after the revised document was issued: Denmark, Fiji, Grenada, Iceland, Lebanon, Mexico, Singapore, Sao Tomé and Principe, Singapore,South Africa,Tanzania, Thailand, Uruguay, Zambia and the United States of America. Costa Rica has withdrawn its co-sponsorship.

We are glad that all Member States of the General Assembly are demonstrating their commitment with regards to the realization of the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation through this resolution. Central aspects of this commitment include the elimination of inequalities in access to water and sanitation by persons belonging to vulnerable and marginalized groups, the consultations with concerned communities, the continuous monitoring and regular analysis of the status of the realization of the human right as well as the provision of effective accountability mechanisms for all water and sanitation service providers.

Moreover, we are glad that all Member States agreed on the necessity to ensure an adequate place for the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation in the discussion and the design of the post-2015 development agenda. The resolution calls on all of us to bear in mind the principles of equality and non-discrimination as well as a focus on the rights of the most disadvantaged and marginalized while implementing this right. This agreement gives us hope that in the future, the access to safe water and sanitation will be improved for all women, men and children all over the world.

And now, with your permission, my colleague from Spain would like to continue with our joint statement."

Human Rights and International Law

Respect for and expansion of human rights is a central focus of the policies of the German Government. German human rights policy in international relations follows a clear obligation: protecting people from violations of their rights and basic freedoms.